Do Multilingual People Earn More Money?

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Archive note: This 2019 article is a career snapshot, not a current ranking of languages by salary. Job markets, economic figures and business roles change. Check current vacancies in your location and industry before choosing a language for career reasons.

If you’re looking for a better job, a better salary, and international opportunities, learning a relevant language can be one useful step.

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Do Multilingual People Earn More Money?

High-profile multilingual business leaders cited when this article was written included Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Bloomberg, Leo Apotheker and Paul Bulcke. Their examples do not prove that languages caused their success, but they show how multilingual skills can support international work.

This is partially due to the opportunities that knowing more than one language opens. For instance, as the leader of a global company present in 86 countries, Bulcke recognizes his multilingual expertise as a clear pro:

“Being multilingual creates a stronger connection with peers, employees, and consumers, which is critical for a business like ours.”

But language learning doesn’t only benefit workers who must establish close relationships with international stakeholders. Workers based in certain monolingual countries might have access to international opportunities, or opportunities from companies with an international presence and better salaries. Others, in multilingual countries, might have better and better-paying opportunities at a local level.

For instance, a 2010 University of Guelph summary reported higher earnings for some bilingual Canadians: for every $1,000 a monolingual francophone man earns in Quebec, one who knows but doesn't use English at work makes an additional $70, and one who knows and also uses English earns a further $139. For female workers, the difference is slightly more subtle, but still there.

What Language Should You Learn to Boost Your Earning Potential?

You might be wondering, what are the best languages to learn to be successful?

There isn’t a one-fits-all answer to this question. It varies greatly, depending on one’s industry and location.

For instance, for trade-related reasons, a 2018 Confederation of British Industry report ranked French highly for UK trade needs. That historical ranking should not replace current vacancy research.

Spanish may be valuable in the United States, depending on your customers, colleagues and region.

Let’s take a look at the pros of different options:

English is the Internet’s Lingua Franca

If it’s not your mother tongue, I’d recommend you work to achieve English fluency. It is widely used to bridge cross-cultural conversations and in many international workplaces.

In 1995, while exploring the idea of a constructed universal language (what Esperanto tried to be), Finnish IT specialist Juka Korpela referred to English as “the universal language on the Internet.“

Writing for Omniglot, Carlos Carrión Torres defended the idea of English as a lingua franca:

“English is without a doubt the actual universal language. It is the world's second largest native language, the official language in 70 countries, and English-speaking countries are responsible for about 40% of world's total GNP. English can be at least understood almost everywhere among scholars and educated people, as it is the world media language, and the language of cinema, TV, pop music and the computer world. All over the planet people know many English words, their pronunciation and meaning.”

The international teams I work with use English as their lingua franca. So, in a sense, every member of our company is an example of how learning a second language can open professional doors.

Mandarin Chinese, the Most Spoken Language on Earth

Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language on earth and the official language of an industrial powerhouse. Learning Mandarin Chinese can translate into opportunities in some of the companies leading the way in tech and manufacturing.

Mandarin is used across several communities outside mainland China as well as within it. Its career value depends on the people and markets you expect to work with.

Chances Are You Know Someone Who Speaks Spanish

Spanish is spoken across many countries and communities. Spanish is the official language of 20 countries distributed in three continents and has a strong presence even in countries where it’s not the official language. A clear example would be the United States. Marketing a consumer good in the United States without localizing it for Hispanic audiences means losing a demographic of millions of people with a great and growing buying power.

Plus by learning Spanish, you are also making it easier to learn Portuguese, Italian, French or any other Romance language.

Arabic for Work Across the Middle East and Beyond

Arabic can be valuable in roles connected with Arabic-speaking markets and communities. The relevant dialect and Modern Standard Arabic needs vary by role and location.

Not only does Arabic facilitate incredible professional opportunities, but it also eases the learning of other languages, since it shares vocabulary with Urdu, Turkish and Farsi. Arabic and Hebrew are both Semitic languages, but knowing one does not make the other’s grammar automatically easy.

German for Tech, Research and Trade

According to the aforementioned report by the British Council:

“Germany is the world’s third largest contributor to research and development, making German particularly important for scientific research and placing it in second place after English as the most important scientific language.”

The report presented German as useful for UK trade-related work at the time.

Due to its commercial, technological, financial and diplomatic relevance, I don’t hesitate to say that if you’re European and aspire to get far in any of those fields, German may be worth investigating in current vacancies.

Be Ahead of the Curve: Learn Hindi

Hindi also holds a place in the list of most spoken languages on earth, with around 336 million speakers. And, according to the India Brand Equity Foundation:

“India has emerged as the fastest growing major economy in the world and is expected to be one of the top three economic powers of the world over the next 10-15 years, backed by its strong democracy and partnerships. India’s GDP is estimated to have increased 7.2 percent in 2017-18 and 7 percent in 2018-19.”

India’s large technology sector can create opportunities, while the value of Hindi depends on the role and region.

Whatever Your Industry, Russian Is a Plus

As the native language of 140-150 million people, the eighth most used language on the internet, and one of the UN’s official languages, Russian is an interesting choice, to say the least.

Russian can be relevant in fields ranging from history to regional studies, but its career value depends on current political, legal and market conditions.
Check the requirements and risks of the specific work you want to do.

British journalist Bridget Kendall once said that deciding to learn Russian was probably “the best decision she ever made”:

“Not only did it unlock the door to a wonderful culture (…) it also meant I got the chance to study there for two years and see a side of Russian life which – because of the Cold War – was almost unknown to foreigners. Being able to speak Russian helped launch me into my first job at the BBC and later into a career as a foreign correspondent, reporting first hand on the collapse of the Soviet Union, covering Washington politics, and travelling the globe to report from war zones and diplomatic summits, refugee camps and presidential palaces.”

Join a Diverse and Innovative Economy, Learn Japanese

A British Council report highlighted Japan’s economic and research importance at the time. As a leader in tech, the automotive sector and entertainment with international cultural and economic influence, it has innumerable opportunities for people of all walks of life.

A clear example, quoted in the British Council’s report on “Languages for the Future”, is retired international soccer player Gary Lineker:

“Speaking Spanish and Japanese has opened doors in my career and helped me bridge cultural differences, both in my personal and business life. […] During my football career I realised quickly what difference language skills can make.”

In Conclusion: Languages Can Advance Your Career

I grew up with a strong interest in languages. And as CEO of a translation company, I continued my language learning. Now, as a speaker of six languages, I’m able to easily communicate with co-workers, partners, and clients in more than 30 countries, without the help of our interpreters. This has made it possible for me to create invaluable business relationships and play a key role in establishing my company’s reputation internationally.